Hiring a CTO? Here are 6 things to keep in mind.
Hiring and identifying the right tech talent for your company is difficult. We have previously shared our list of dos and don’ts for hiring the right tech talent.
It becomes all the more challenging while hiring someone for senior roles that require experience with technology, people and leadership. After all, hiring a Chief Technology Officer or a Technology Lead is essential for most businesses today. A CTO helps oversee the quality of the work done by technology teams, mentors the technology team, strategizes for the future and ensures technology helps the business achieve its goals. So, how do you find the right fit to lead your team?
Here are some things to absolutely keep in mind while hiring a CTO:
Build & Mentor Teams
A CTO must be able to build and mentor a technology team of high performers. This requires someone who is able to identify top talent, hire them, work with them and mentor them to become leaders in their own right. The ideal candidate should be able to anticipate and fulfill the needs and aspirations of the tech team, as well as set up processes that help them complete their tasks such as software releases on deadline. All the while managing the various working styles and personalities of different team members.
An eye for product & design
For smaller companies, design and product can come under the CTO’s responsibilities, whereas in bigger companies, technology teams are required to work closely with design and product teams. Either way, design is the backbone of any successful product and a CTO must have a thorough understanding of digital products, user experience and have an eye for design to ensure his/her team delivers a great app or website.
Knowing design and products also helps the CTO effectively liaison between the various departments and can aid design decisions and product ideas too!
Knowledge of various Technology Stack
This one is a no-brainer! While a CTO does not necessarily have to know how to code, he or she certainly has to know the technology stack of the organization. After all ownership of the quality and performance of code, whether it is an app, website or software, ultimately lies with the CTO. The CTO must be able to guide his/her team to follow best practices for coding, testing and performance. The CTO must also be able to identify the right tech frameworks, languages, tools and take calls on when to upgrade the various softwares and hardwares used by the team.
Experience
The CTO must have enough experience managing both people and technology. Working on several projects with various personalities, experiencing both successes and failure, helps build the technology discipline and practical foresight to create processes and structures that help streamline the work, make quick decisions and give ballpark estimates. Such a rich experience also helps resolve conflicts where they might arise between people and departments.
